


Everyone’s feelings are valued.

by Jolly_Rancherz



Series: Debbies exploration and development of her sexuality [1]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Ian and Mickey are locked up, M/M, Mickey showing Debbie her mistakes, One Shot, Sexuality Confusion, debbie realizing her mistakes, end of season 9, them talking out the Kelly and Carl situation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:13:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26551903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jolly_Rancherz/pseuds/Jolly_Rancherz
Summary: Set at the end of season 9, where Ian and Mickey are locked up and Debbie tries to kiss Kelly, unsuccessfully.Debbie visits Mickey for advice on her sexuality.Mickey guides Debbie as best he can.
Relationships: Carl Gallagher/Kelly Keefe, Debbie Gallagher & Mickey Milkovich, Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich
Series: Debbies exploration and development of her sexuality [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1930969
Comments: 8
Kudos: 49





	Everyone’s feelings are valued.

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly somebody really needed to tell Debbie her mistakes without undermining her feelings and teaching her instead. Cue Mickey Milkovich. 
> 
> Slight warning for confusion on sexuality but it’s nothing too extreme. 
> 
> I thought this was a really cool idea, so hopefully you do too. 💙

Mickey raised his eyebrows as he made his way outside, heading for the array of tables where visitors would be located. 

He didn’t really know who he was expecting, guards where vague and ushered him to get on out there. Wrap the meeting up quickly. 

So when the visitor turned out to be Debbie Gallagher, he was pretty fucking surprised. 

Maybe the guards slipped up and meant to send out Ian instead of him, but the warm yet nervous look the red head was wearing made him second guess that theory. 

“Mickey!” Her voice was verging on excited and conflicted. He offered a slight hesitant wave as he approached the table, sitting across from her. 

“I know the last time you saw Ian he had black hair, but that ain’t a good enough reason to mix us up. Pretty fucking big difference still.” His voice held a teasing tone with no real malice. 

Debbies lips quirked at that, just a bit. But there, regardless. 

“No mix up. Ian didn’t really fully believe me yet, I thought it would be best to go to you.” She explained, her face held a guilty look now. Mickeys brows knitted together, the hell was she talking about? 

“Believe what?” He urged, keeping his tone as neutral as he could as to not further her nerves. She sighed in response, fidgeting her hands. 

“It’s a long story.” She replied, he waited for her to go on. When she said nothing he felt a puff of annoyed breath leave him. 

“I probably don’t have time to hear it, so maybe it’s best if you spit it on out, ya know a little faster.” He replied, despite the words curiosity and a soft edge was evident in his tone. 

Debbie chewed on her bottom lip before nodding. 

“Right, okay, so basically I’m gay.” Mickey blinked at that. Ian definitely hadn’t mentioned this during there time locked up so far. 

He concealed his surprise. Did she not just get knocked up, not all that long ago? He kept that comment to himself. 

“Oh yeah? Good for you.” He offered instead and in reassurance. It’s the way he preferred things to be when he came out, apart from fucking Terry, everyone barely reacted. 

The girl looked a little bit surprised, her hands relaxed against the table. 

“Right, but I messed things up badly.” She continued, the guilty look present once more. 

Mickey nodded slightly and offered a hum in confirmation. 

“So basically this girl Kelly, -well she was Carl’s girlfriend....but we became close friends and I wasn’t thinking.” She trailed off, seemingly building up the courage to say whatever disastrous thing happened. 

Carl’s ‘old’ girlfriend and Debbie saying she’s gay, probably meant this was about to be awful. Mickey braced himself. 

“I...well I started to really like her. Even though she was with Carl....I shouldn’t have done that to him. But as our friendship went on so did my feelings.” Mickey sighed internally at those words. 

Fucking Gallaghers. 

“Go on.” He kept his tone devoid of judgement. Debbie probably derailed from going to Ian or Fiona for this reason. They would’ve offered a rightful lecture but they could get to that part afterwards. 

A lecture wasn’t what she needed until she could explain her feelings to someone. 

“I wanted somebody to want me and I really wanted to have a girlfriend...and I, well I let it take over. I really loved Kelly and it made me feel like I was actually gay and it wasn’t just...I don’t know.” Her words held a voice of uncertainty and shame. 

Mickey remained quiet for a moment. 

“Debbie. I know it’s hard, yeah? Trying to deal with those conflicting feelings and I was on the opposite side so I don’t fully understand the whole ‘nobody believes me’, exploring kinda thing. But it’s all the same shit at the end of the day, confusion and anger is normal and okay to feel.” He explained. These Gallagher’s where turning him soft. 

He cut her off before she could reply. “But you can’t be pulling that shit, it’s not fair to your brother. Ain’t nothing wrong with exploring and wanting to test things out, nobody can tell you otherwise. But you can’t be putting your own confusion on people.” Debbie sighed at that, her eyes looked glossy now.

“I fell in love with her, I fell in love with my brothers straight girlfriend.” She sounded ashamed, the realization seemingly dawning on her. 

“Yeah? See, got to know how to pick em. Pick em wrong and put your feelings first, it fucks shit up.” He offered her a sad smile. 

“Fuck, how am I supposed to apologize to Carl. How am I supposed to deal with the person I fell in love with being in love with someone else.” Her head titled up, blinking away her tears of frustration. 

“Look at it from there point of view, cliche shit I know. But that’s how you understand and learn.” Debbie seemed to be soaking that up. She remained quiet. 

“Thanks Mick.” He nodded. 

“I’ll explain it to Ian, he probably thinks it’s a your ‘over guys thing’ and not a legitimate thing.” He offered. Reasonable enough based on what happened, but she needed people to believe and understand.

Especially someone like Ian. He couldn’t think of someone better to guide her through this and fully explain her fuck ups and putting people’s feelings ahead of their own. 

“Mickey! Hurry up.” One of the officers called. The guards didn’t really trust him despite him snitching out. His visit times where short as fuck. He gave Debbie one last reassuring smile before getting up and heading for the entry, leaving her with a couple last words. 

“Just...talk to Carl. Understand what he went through. Hell, sort things out with Kelly and see what she was thinking. More sides to a story than just you Debs and just know...people will believe you’re gay with time. Once you’re certain on your own feelings. No need to label until you feel ready.”

Leaving a red head to realize the selfishness of her actions and an odd feeling of support and the want to keep exploring her emotions.

**Author's Note:**

> Drop a comment or kudo if you’d like, always appreciated and I’m very welcome to feedback.


End file.
